Date: Tue, 07 Aug 2007 18:08:23 +0100
From: Stephaine King <chantie_jr@hotmail.com>
Subject: Adriana's bet. instalment 2

Chapter Two: Le Boissons:

         "So where's the proof Adriana?" Nicole enquired, expecting that
Adriana hadn't achieved what she'd set out to do. Once again everybody
around the table had their eye glued to Adriana and anticipating the next
installment of drama. Adriana took Shannon's phone number out of her pocket
slowly, purposely teasing her friends. She then threw it onto the table and
it were as if throwing meat to a pack of starving animals.
         "No way Adriana!" Casey commented in a parental tone.
"Wait...wait Adriana, how do we know that this number is real or that it
proves anything?" Says Nicole. Adriana took her seat.
"Because it's real and last night i did what i said i was i was going to do.
I wouldn't lie. That's just pathetic Nicole." There was still doubt in
Nicole's eyes, "Look, if you don't believe me, then that is your problem.
Main thing is: i know the truth." That seemed to silence Nicole, mainly
because she couldn't come up with a counter.
         She'd always been jealous of Adriana. The attention she recieved
wherever she went left Nicole green with envy.
"Well you probably cheated and got her blind drunk." Suggested Nicole.
"I bought her a drink or two, only to rid her nerves. She wouldn't relax.
Besides, she was just a little tipsy."
         "You want to be careful Adriana. I mean you've been through nearly
all the women you know. Soon enough you're going to have to start on men."
Adriana glared at Bella as if to say, Are you crazy?
"Or even worse, you may actually have to get into a relationship with
someone."
"Well, we all know that aint never going to happen. Keep an eye on my bag
while i order." Adriana got up and went over to the counter. her seat hadn't
even been given the chance to cool before various people began staring at
the phone number.
        "Guys don't...It's a total violation of respect." Shiana firmly
stated. Nicole looked over in the direction of the queue and saw that
Adriana had a fairly long wait.
        "Come on. What harm will it do?" Casey leaned over and passed the
piece of paper to Nicole. She needed to know if Adriana had been with this
woman.
         Nicole dialled the number and waited for a response.
"Hello. It's the S.O.S.I.M and we're doing a survey on homosexuality in this
state. We were just wondering if you could disclose your sexual
orientation?" Nicole was blunt and direct, while still managing to maintain
professionalism in her voice. Shannon was feeling tentative, but what harm
would it do just to answer the question? After the night before, she was
certainly confused but went with the answer she felt most comfortable with.
"I'm a heterosexual." Shannon said, with pseudo confidence.
"Thanks. But it would help if you told the truth."
"What?" Shannon felt her heart pick up speed; she wasn't in the mood for
games.
"Why don't you tell us about Adriana?" At the mention of Adriana's name,
Nicole heard Shannon gasp.
          "What the hell do you think you're doing Nick, why'd you call
her?" Adriana challenged her, spotting the number and phone in Nicole's
hand.
          Casey decided to speak up, "Why do you even care anyway? It's not
like she means anything to you."
"I didn't say she did. It's the principle of the matter. You had no right
calling her...Casey, you should know better. You know me better than anyone
around this table. Sometimes i forget that you girls are seventeen, and
other times it really shows."
Adriana spoke her words with conviction. Their arguing had ordered a painful
silence and Adriana upped and walked out.

Chapter Three: Not Quite the End:
          Adriana sat comfortable on her sofa, staring at Shannon's number,
then at the phone. The night she'd met Shannon, she remembered her being
incredibly nervous and fretful. Adriana came to the conclusion that after
the call from Nicole, Shannon was probably cowering in the corner of her
lounge awash with fear. So Adriana picked up the phone and called her.
         "Hello?" Answered Shannon, hesitant.
"Hi Shannon, it's me: Adriana." Shanon instantly felt the awakening of
butterflies in her stomach. She was elated by the phone call.
"I'm sorry my friends called you today. That's their idea of a joke. Anyway,
i just called to say sorry ok?" Adriana's voice was smooth and seductive,
making it very difficult for Shannon to concerntrate on her apology.
         "It's ok. I should be the one apologizing. The way i acted this
morning was just..." She cringed thinking about it, "Totally pathetic. I
feel really bad."
"Hey it's fine. Anyway, i've said sorry and now i have to go. I got a lot of
stuff to do."
Adriana was about to hang-up, when Shannon spoke up.
"Adriana?" There was a slight pause, "How do you erm..." She clears her
throat, as she apprehensively plays with the phones arial. "You want to go
out for dinner with me sometime?"
Whenever Shannon was around Adriana, she became bold and outspoken. but that
question was enough to set the alarm off in Adriana's head and she hung up.
She knew that it had probably taken Shannon all the courage she could muster
to ask what she did, but it also meant that Shannon was becoming attatched.
Adriana had said sorry for her friends antics and as far as she was
concerned, the Shannon chapter in her life was over. Shannon was to be known
as the bet and nothing more.
         Shannon did cry that night. She'd spent one night with Adriana and
was hooked like an addict on drugs But it wasn't drugs. It was being with
Adriana. The way she smelled; not the expensive perfume, but the way she
wore it, feeling Adriana's warm hands on her skin. These feelings were very
prominent, and when Adriana hung up it hurt.
         In the next week, Adriana did what she always did: whatever the
hell she wanted. In the course of a week she'd managed to score a multitude
of women, which allowed her to add a few more names to her prestigious list.
Adriana wasn't a malevolent person, more of a misinformed one. She just
didn't know how to voice or be receptive to love. All she saw growing up was
the significance of hatred in life. Sleeping with a person and never talking
to them again wasn't seen as cruel to her. Niether was it a game. Whether
she was aware or not, it was a form of therapy for her. It was simply praxis
for her to talk about her childhood and her incapability to feel an emotion
such as love. Sex,to Adriana, was her story and how she told it.
        It was particularly cold this day and Shannon took a gulp of hot
chocolate, feeling the warmth travel throughout her entire body. Angela,
Shannon's best friend, found her seat next to her. Seeing the melancholy in
Shannon's face was really beginning to worry Angela, not to mention how
irritating it was becoming. She grabbed the remote control and abruptly
switched off the object of Shannon's attention: the television.
        "Ok. Start talking woman. Whatever it is spill it." Enquired Angela
knowingly.
Shannon turned to face her best friend, "I don't know what you're talking
about." Shannon wasn't fooling anyone. Even Angela's cat could see through
the facade.
"Oh come on. The whole week i've had to put up with you moping around. Tell
me what it is or i'll beat it out of you." Angela threatened jokily.
         Shannon knew she was fighting an already lost battle. So she put
her cup of chocolate down and prepared the telling of her tale.
"You're really not going to believe this." She cocked her head to the side
and winced at what she thought Angela's reaction would be, "You know when i
went to Crush last saturday...Well i met someone."
Angela jumps in, "Aww. You met someone and it didn't work out?" She
carefully took Shannon's hand in her own, treating her hand as though it
were what she believed Shannon's damaged fragile emotions, "Look these
things happen all the time. You will just have to try and put it behind
you." Once Angela had finished her assuming Shannon was allowed to resume
the story.
"No. You have it wrong...last saturday i met a woman called Adriana."
Shannon waited for the penny to drop, but apparently it was still lingering
on the edge of the table. Considering that Shannon had been indulging in
homosexual behavior hadn't even crossed Angela's mind and once again she
jumped to her own conclusion.
"Did she mug you or something?" Shannon laughed at Angela's conjecture.
"No, no. She didn't mug me...but she did make love to me though."
Like she'd just been talking about the wheather, Shannon picked up her cup
of chocolate, trying to divert her thoughts from what was going on inside
Angela's head. All was silent for a moment.
           Angela raised a speculative eyebrow. "But you're straight
Shannon. I don't know what to say except - shit, you did that? What was it
like? Is she pretty?" She was taking it better than Shannon could've ever
foreseen.
"I don't want to talk about it." Shannon picked up the remote and turned the
television back on.
"You have to tell me the details man. You can't give me the cake and not let
me eat it."
"Well the cake tastes like crap, so i suggest you leave it on the side." Her
eyes went back to the television.
"What happened?" Angela asked in more of a subtle, sympathetic tone. Shannon
knew that Angela wasn't going to let her off the hook and gave in. This time
Angela left the television on, giving Shannon something to turn back to if
she began feeling uncomfortable again. Shannon slumped back in her couch
lethargically and drained the last of her hot chocolate.
          "I'm so confused. It's like she has this aura. It's trance-like.
It grips you...i don't get it, she was so pleasant when i told her i wasn't
interested. She even bought me a drink and said that we could just be
friends. Me, i was fine with that 'cause she was funny and made me laugh. I
got a little tipsy but i still had control. But even before that, in my
moments of nervousness, she didn't get impatient with me or annoyed.
Actually i think she found it kind of endearing...Oh! And when she kissed
me. My gosh, it was the most passionate, sensual, romantic kiss ever." She
took a much needed breather, looked at a wide-eyed Angela and continued,
"She was so gentle with me. honestly, i was in paradise. Everything she did
was to make me happy; to please me. Later we just cuddled and it was
beautiful. I could've stayed there snuggled up to her for the rest of my
life...but like always i screwed up. In the morning i went into the bathroom
and locked myself in. Then she knocked but i never answered. After a while
she left and i felt really, really bad." She got up and took her empty mug
into the kitchen; "To make this painfully long story short, we talked on the
phone later on in the day and i stupidly asked her out to dinner
sometime..."
"Well?"
"She hung up."
Angela wasn't sure what to say. Shannon knew this and added, "I really liked
her. I know it was only one night but i could feel it. We could really be
something." Her expression screamed wistfulness but anger was slowly
creeping in as she delved deeper into the situation. it deeply angered her
that Adriana hadn't even given her a chance.
"We clicked. We had things in common!"
"Sorry." Was all Angela could say. In response to this, Shannon put up a
false smile.
"I've never seen anyone make you pine before, not even my brother Andon. If
she means this much to you then she can't be that hard to find."
Shannon smiled at Angela's gesture, but shook her head. " I don't know. If i
go after her then she might think i'm some psycho stalker or something."
"So what? If it stops me having to look at your glum face then i think it's
worth it."
Shannon was still a little hesitant, but what's life without a little risk?
"Well then it's set. Next saturday we're going hunting for your girl."

Chapter Four: Needle in a Haystack:
           Shannon and Angela walked into Hott, unfamiliar with the
territory. Seeing women gyrating seductively on the dance floor together was
hard to get use to for Angela. She'd only ever seen things like this on
television.
           "I can't believe i'm here doing this. I mean, she wasn't at any
of the other clubs. I doubt she'll even be in here!" Shannon belted out over
the ear-splitting music.
"Oh, stop being so negative!" Demamded Angela, also hollering, trying to be
heard. Before arriving, Shannon had promised to buy the drinks. So she
dragged Shannon over to the bar.
           Even the barmaid was dressed provocatively and was handing out
her number. this club was wild and wild was the way Angela liked it. But for
Shannon it was all about one thing.
           "Right, Shannon erm i'll have a...mmm...i think i'll have,"
Noticing that Shannon was daydreaming, Angela stopped in mid sentence and
waved her hands in front of Shannon's face. "Shannon? Hott to Shanon
Jefferson..." She joked.
Waving her arms around was failing to get Shannon's attention.
"That's her." Shannon worded. Her face held a trance-like stance. Angela
found it interesting that one person could have such an affect on another.
"She's gorgeous." Angela was astounded at Adriana's beauty. "She's
definately the diamond amongst the ruby's."
Shannon still hadn't looked away yet. She was in shock at what she was
seeing. This wasn't what she wanted to see. Coming out of her own thoughts,
Angela saw Adriana's antics.
"I knew it was a bad idea to come here. Look at her." Shannon's eyes were
sad and dejected as she pointed to Adriana rubbing herself up and down some
tall blonde.
           The tall blonde positioned herself behind Adriana and together
they grinded rhythmically to the music. Shannon wasn't taking this well and
was about to leave, when she caught Adriana's eye. The longer they maitained
eye contact, the sexier Adriana's dancing got. She reached up, and grabbed
the blonde's head, pulling her into a lustful kiss. During the kiss, she
never released Shannon's eyes. It was like they were trying to see one
another's thought at that exact moment. Now knowing what she knew, it became
clear to Shannon that she was no more to Adriana, than what a beautiful
painting would be to a blind man. Shannon took Angela's hand and left.

Chapter Five:Don't Give Up:
          "You have every right to be angry. She played you like a cd, and
then threw you away. Don't blame yourself for this...you're not going to
feel better unless you tell that bitch that what she did was wrong!"
Exclaimed Angela in a corporal manner.
"You actually think she'd care? How can someone just change like that? She
was so nice to me. If i go back next week she'll definately think i'm
stalking her."
"Who the hell cares what she thinks? She obviously didn't care what you
thought when she had her tongue down that woman's throat." Angela's words
were becoming more and more hurtful. An image of Adriana and the blonde
writhing on the dancefloor flashed in Shannon's mind, making her feel the
same way she did when Adriana hung up on her.
"We spent ont night together. One night! I shouldn't be feeling this way.
Anyone would think that we were a couple the way i'm acting. She has a right
to do what she wants. I can't stop her."
"Something tells me that she's been playing this game for a long time, you
have to be the one to stop her thinking she can get away with it. She can't
just come into your life, mess everything up and then leave." Angela had a
valid point, "You only liked men. She came along and suddenly our bank
manager, Mrs.Gwen's, hot. Notice the Mrs. You got no chance with her."
Shannon chuckled and then tried to compose herself.
            Not often was she outspoken and she didn't care for
confrontation. But on the other hand, Adriana was messing with her head and
deserved a hard slap on the wrist. She understood perfectly what Angela was
getting at but felt like her case wasn't solid. it was unorthodox of her to
dwell on one night stands - not that she'd had many. But there was something
disparate. This one had shaken the very foundation of her world. What was it
about this woman that had her engrossed to the point of obsession? Was it
her beauty? Was it her personality? or was it the fact that she was a woman?
Shannon had no clue but she knew she had to find out, before it completely
gnawed away at her.
            "Alright. I'm going, and i'm going to tell her exactly what i
think."
Angela's eyes became electric with excitement, but that excitement was short
lived. "But i'm going alone."
            When saturday night arrived, Shannon found herself sitting at
the bar in Hott once again. The vibration of the music mimicked everyone's
dance moves; you could barely hear yourelf think. She patiently waited while
the barmaid concocted a Serial Killer. She'd prepared her speech, intending
to get things the way she wanted them. Last week Adriana had shown up at ten
fifteen. If she was a woman of routine, Shannon thought she'd use the extra
fifteen minutes to imbibe as much alcohol as possible.
            Exactly fifteen minutes later, Adriana strolled in but not
without some friends. Typically Adriana looked ravishingly beautiful. Every
bit of thread on her body was biased, making her clothes hug her body to
accentuate her curves. Everything seemed to slow to the erotic genre of
music, even the way Adriana brushed her hair out of her face.
            Just then, Shannon felt a light tap on her shoulder, taking her
away from the one-woman-show she was experiencing in her thoughts. She
turned to see a woman who looked spookily similar to Jnifer Lopez standing
before her.
           "I saw you standing here alone and i just thought i'd come over
here and talk to you." The woman smiled warmly, making Shannon feel
comfortable in her presence.
"Well that was really nice of you. I'm Shannon by the way." The woman's
smile grew larger as she became aware that Shannon wanted to talk. They
could just about hear each other over the cacophony of music.
"Hey listen, how about we go outside where it's a little quieter?" Suggested
the woman politely.
Shannon nodded, "Sure."
"I came here with some friends. Just let me go tell them where i'm going to
be. Then i'll tell you my name." The nameless woman flashed her pearly
whites before moving off.
             "I'm getting thirsty. I'm going to get a drink." Adriana
informed her friends. She paused on her way over to the bar upon seeing
Shannon. Being stalked wasn't exactly her idea of fun, and it was now clear
that ignoring the situation wasn't going to make it go away.
             For the second time that night, Shannon felt a tap on her
shoulder. She span around expecting to be greeted by the j-lo look-alike,
when instead she was confronted with Adriana. The two stared deeply into
each other's eyes, both searching for answers.
             "Hey!" Came a loud voice from behind. The woman took Shannon's
hand and led her away from Adriana's gaze.
              "Wha's up A?" Bella enquired.
Adriana smiled weakly. "You know that girl i picked up at Crush?"
"The straight girl?" Blla asked, looking for conformation.
"Yeah, well she's here tonight. She was here last Saturday and she's back
again tonight. What she does is: she just stands there watching me." Adriana
explained, while sparking up a cigarette.
"You mean the brunette who passed on wearing a bra?"
"Are you sure we're talking about the same girl here?"
"The girl in the red tank top. She kept staring over here. I actually
thought she was quite cute; was going gonna ask her to dance. Now i know
you've been there... forget that." Bella looked over to the spot that was
just a few moments ago occupied by Shannon and noticed she was gone. "She's
gone anyway. You got nothing to worry about." Bella assured Adriana.
"You think? I just saw her leave with some chick." Adriana wasn't happy
about this whole situation. It was getting far too mesy for her liking.
"Go and sort it out. Tey're probably just outside talking because it's damn
hard to communicate with how loud the music is in here." next to Shiana,
Bella was also good when it came to advice.
"Thanks." Adriana found the nearest ashtray, ousted her cigarette and headed
towards the exit.
"Gosh i hate this song." Bella said to herself, but still bobbing her
head...


Thanks for the comments so far. I'll be posting the third part shortly.